YTKO has received international recognition for its Click & Connect New Forest programme, winning Silver in the Technology for Social Impact category at the Global Spotlight Awards™.
The award celebrates the success of Click & Connect – Empowering Rural Communities Through Digital Inclusion, delivered by YTKO on behalf of New Forest District Council, which has exceeded every one of its monitored performance targets while helping residents, businesses and communities embrace digital technology.
The Global Spotlight Awards™ recognise outstanding achievements in technology, artificial intelligence, data science and cybersecurity, shining a light on innovators delivering meaningful real-world impact.
For YTKO, the Silver Award recognises an approach to digital inclusion that goes beyond providing access to technology, focusing instead on building the practical skills, confidence and independence that enable people to benefit from an increasingly connected world.
Turning better connectivity into real-world benefits
Click & Connect was developed to complement investment in improved broadband infrastructure through Project Gigabit.
While faster, more reliable connectivity creates new opportunities, access alone does not guarantee that people can take advantage of them.
Across rural communities, digital exclusion can affect access to essential services, employment opportunities, social connections and business growth.
Click & Connect addressed these challenges through practical workshops, individual support, community outreach and partnerships with trusted local organisations.
Every one of the programme’s eight monitored outputs and outcomes was exceeded, demonstrating the effectiveness of combining improved digital infrastructure with targeted skills development.
Reaching communities through trusted local relationships
A defining feature of Click & Connect has been its community-led delivery model.
The programme worked with 36 community groups across the New Forest, taking digital support directly to residents and businesses rather than expecting them to seek assistance independently.
YTKO worked alongside organisations including Citizens Advice, Solent Mind, libraries, the Federation of Small Businesses, New Forest Business Partnership, Women’s Institutes and Men’s Sheds.
These partnerships helped engage people who might otherwise have been reluctant to attend formal digital training.
The programme also demonstrated the importance of adaptability. Following a challenging initial mobilisation period, YTKO refined workshop content, strengthened community outreach and increasingly delivered sessions through established local groups.
Covering practical topics including WhatsApp, Facebook, online banking and internet safety, our sessions generated enthusiastic participation and requests for further support.
This repeat demand demonstrated that communities were not simply attending training; they were recognising its value and actively seeking more.
Technology with genuine social impact
The Technology for Social Impact Award is particularly significant because Click & Connect demonstrates how relatively straightforward digital skills can deliver wider economic and social benefits.
For residents, greater confidence using digital devices can improve independence, access to essential services and connections with family and friends.
For businesses, adopting digital tools can strengthen productivity, improve customer experiences and create opportunities for growth.
The programme’s contribution to reducing social isolation is especially important. Click & Connect demonstrates that digital inclusion is about much more than technology.
It is about helping people participate more fully in their communities and everyday lives.
Building a lasting digital legacy
Alongside its immediate achievements, Click & Connect has created valuable resources to support continued digital learning.
Approximately 200 pages of practical, step-by-step guidance have been developed, providing reusable materials covering everyday digital skills, online safety and business technology.
A Digital Resource Hub and groundwork for a local Digital Champions network provide further opportunities to sustain the programme’s impact, subject to future local ownership and support.
The relationships established with community organisations, voluntary groups and business networks also create a strong foundation for future digital inclusion activity.
International recognition for a locally delivered programme
Winning Silver at the Global Spotlight Awards™ is an important achievement for YTKO and recognition of the value of its partnership with New Forest District Council.
It demonstrates how practical, accessible digital skills support, delivered through trusted local relationships, can help translate investment in connectivity into measurable improvements in people’s lives and business performance.
For YTKO, the award reinforces a simple principle at the heart of Click & Connect:
Digital inclusion is not just about getting people connected. It is about giving them the confidence, skills and opportunities to thrive once they are.
Through Click & Connect, that principle has delivered measurable results across the New Forest – and now received international recognition.
